Tea World

Enzymes

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Polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase are the most important enzymes in tea leaves. They are responsible for oxidation of tea leaves that takes place when the cell walls in the leaves are raptured and the polyphenols are exposed to oxygen.These enzymes may be denatured or deactivated using heat so that oxidation cannot occur; this is one of the first steps in green tea production and is why finished green tea leaves remain green. The enzymes may also be denatured by simply depriving them of moisture for a time which is what happens during the long withering period in white tea production.

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